Bottle-cap reclaiming machine



\ M y 23, o. A. KOEHLER BOTTLE CAP IRECLAIR/IINC! MACHINE 7 Filed Aug.13, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQR fl mm May 23, 1944.

O. A. KOEHLER BOTTLE CAP RECLAIMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1942 2Sheets-Shem; 2

vullllllnli 0M0 A. ffoeh/er INVENTOR 80M? mm Patented May 23, 1944 onand seal the contents within the container.

eAT NT oF-Fics BOTTLE-CAP. MACHINE Otto A; K oeh l er, San Antonio, Tex.Application August 13, 1942, Serial No. 454,668

r G n The invention relates to a device for reclaiming caps or crownsemployed in sealing bottlesor similar containers for liquids, such asbeer, soda water and the like.

Due to the scarcity of metal, cork and othergg materials used in themanufacture of bottle caps,

it is desirable to reclaim caps which already have been used anddistorted so that they may be used repeatedly before they are entirelyworn out.

It is an object of this invention to provide amp machine for reclaimingcaps of the character referred to. It is desired to reshape the caps toapproximately their original form so that they may engage the bottle andbe clamped securely there- It is also desired to provide a machine ofthis character which will work automatically at fairly high speeds, thuseconomizing in labor, time and expense. i

The invention lies in the detailed construction of the variouspartsmaking up the complete device, said device being disclosed forclearer understanding in the drawings herewith wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of adevice embodying the invention. 1 i

-Fig. 2 is a broken front elevation showing the mechanism for feedingthe caps into the machine, the view being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a broken longitudinal section through the reciprocating andstationary dies for shaping the caps.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1 andillustrating the connection between the plunger and the upright thereon.',Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1 showing theposition of the gate which retains the caps in front of the two dies.

The device is shown asmounted upon abase portion including thestationary die assembly I and the guide sleeve 2 in which thereciprocating die member 3 is slidable. Secured upon thebase is anupright post 5 which serves as a guide for the slidable rod 6 and as asupport for the stationary rods 1 and 8. This post is secured to thehousing 9 of the socalled stationary die by means 1 of bolts I!) orother equivalent devices.

The socalled stationary die shown at II in the housing is in factmounted resiliently. It is adapted to yield and has a stem I2 thereonextending through a nut 13 in the end of the housing 9 and has stop nutsl4 screwed thereon to engage with the end of the housing. It has aspring about said stem holding said die in position with the nut I4against the nut l3. An air line indicated at I5 is secured to the end ofthe stem I2 in any suitable manner to allow the introduction of air intothe 55 passage 16 longitudinally of the stem and die member. The forwardend of the stationary die is formed with a shallow saucer-shaped recessI! to engage with the cap as it is fed into position foroperation. Thestationary die is so-called because the spring is heavy and holds thedie in approximately stationary position.

The reciprocatin die 3 may be connected to any mechanical means forreciprocation and ordinarily it is moved by connection with the crankarm of a motor. The forward end of the die is formed with a reducedprojection I8 thereon shaped to engage with a bottle cap. It is of theproper dimensions to shape the cap into bottle engaging shape. This isaccomplished byforcing the central portion of th cap into the recess I1,thus bringing the outer margin of the cap inwardly to the requiredextent to engage the bottle. The upper portion of the guidesleeve 2 iscut away at l8 to permit connection of the die 3 to the upright framemember 23, see Fig. 4. Thus as the ary die is cut away, as shown at 24,to allow the movement of a gate member 25 therein. Said gate member isadapted to fit below the seat in the stationary die and form a supportfor a bottle cap indicated at 26 and retain the cap in position to beengaged by the reciprocating die l8. This gate is mounted resiliently,as shown in Fig. 5, so that caps which may be jammed into the seat maymove downwardly without damage to the machine.

' i With reference to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the gate member isformed to fit within the opening inthehousing 9, the upper portion ofsaid gate being formed on the arc of a circle and in position to holdthe cap in proper alignment. The gate is formed upon an arm 21 pivotedat 28 to the lower end of the cross head 29. A spring 30 secured to thecross head is bent to engage at 3i to the lower side of the gate andhold it resiliently in capengaging position. This spring acts only toallow downward yielding of the gate so as to avoid jamming, as the capsare fed downwardly. It has nothing to do with the opening of the gate,which is accomplished by a lateral sliding movement of the cross head 29on the rods 1 and 8. The cross head 29 is shown best in Fig. 1. It isforked at its lower end to engage with the end of the gate arm and isextended upwardly to connect with a sleeve 32, said sleeve being mountedupon the rod 1 for a supporting and sliding movement. Said arm ismounted upon a rod 33 upon which it is slidable.

v Said rod 33 is connected rigidly to the upright frame member 23 and ishence reciprocated laterally, as seen in Fig. 1, with the movement ofthe 29, and move said cross head to the right of the 7 position showntherein, thus moving the gate into open position. When the reciprocatingdie is withdrawn the end of the spring 38 will shortly engage theupright portion of the cross head and move it to the left of theposition there shown, thereby again closing said gate. It will be seenthat there is a slight amount of lost motion be tween the movement ofthe frame and the movement of the cross head. The-spring 38' upon therod serves to reduce the shock of engagement with the cross head andalso to prevent injury to the apparatus by any tendency of the frame tomove too far into closed position.

The bottle caps are fed into position to be engaged by the die through achute 39. Said chute is shown broken off in the different views but itwill be understood that the caps will be fed into the upper end of theupright chute by any desirable feeding means not forming a part of thisinvention. The cap will drop by gravity downwardly through the chtue andwill be fed therefrom into the seat by fingers projecting into the openside of the chute.

Two separate fingers engage the caps to deliver the said caps in timedsequence into the seat. There is an upper finger 40 projecting throughthe open side of the chute to engage below the stack of caps which arein the chute above the same. This finger is mounted upon an arm 4! whichis curved around the side of the chute and extends upwardly therefrom.It is supported upon a pivot arm 42 mounted in journals 43 in the sideof the chute. The arm is extended downwardly past the pivot and bentlaterally to be engaged by post 44. The lower finger 45 is mounted uponan arm which is bent laterally to the side of the chute and extendedupwardly in an angular position, as shown at 46 in Fig. 1, and pivotedat its upper end in a journal ll upon the side of the chute. There is alaterally extending member 48 on the lever extending in the path of apost 49 mounted upon the rod 6. The two cap engaging levers are held inposition against the housing and into engagement with the caps by meansof leaf springs 50 and 5! on 'the forward side of the chute. They willbe moved from cap engaging position by the movement of the frame 23 androd 6.

Thus when the frame member 23 and rod 6 are moved to the right of theposition shown in Fig. 1 the post 44 will engage the upper end of thearm 41 and thus swing the upper finger 40 out from engagement with thecaps. On the backward movement of the frame and rod the post 49 willengage with the arm 48. upon the lower lever arm and move the finger 45from cap-engaging position. Thus when the reciprocating die is moved toa position slightly to the left of that shown in Fig. 1 the lower'finger45 will be moved from engagement with the lower cap, allowing it todrop. The upper finger simultaneously will be in position to hold thecaps above from dropping. As the frame moves forward with thereciprocating die the finger 45 will be allowed to be swung by thespring into cap-engaging position while the contact of the post 44 withthe arm 4| will release the caps above so that one may drop into contactwith the lower arm 45. This movement of the fingers is so timed that theupper finger will hold the stack of caps above it while the lower fingerwill release the lowermost of the caps. Said lower finger will then moveback to receive a cap when the upper finger is moved from cap-holding position. As this feeding of caps into the seat is operated in response tothe movement of the revv ciprocating die it will be seen that the timingof the releasing fingers may be easily accomplished.

In the operation of the machine the caps will be fed in timed relationwith the movement of the reciprocating die so that as the die I8 ismoved forwardly it will engage within the cap 25 upon the gate 25 andforce it into the recess I! in-the stationary die. This engagement ofthe cap by the die will force the closed top of the cap into recess Hand draw the rim of the cap inwardly against the surface [8 of themovable ie. Thus it will straighten out any irregularities in the rim ofthe cap which engages the bottle and thereby make certain that the capwill securely clamp against a bottle upon which it may be subsequentlymounted. When the reciprocating die moves away from the stationary diethe rim of the cap 26 will tend to drop from its seat as the gate ismoved to the right of the position shown in Fig. 3 through the operationof the cross arm as previously described. It has been found however,that the caps tend to adthe edge of the housing and be stripped therebyfrom the die.

It will be understood that the cap reclaiming device operating in themanner described will reform the caps into proper shape for re-userapidly and accurately. One of these machines will reshape caps at highspeed, delivering the caps ready for use at a rate in excess of fourhundred per'minute. The action of the machine will be entirely automaticnecessitating no attention further than occasional inspection.

- What is claimed is: 1. In a bottle cap reforming machine, a stationarydie having a cap receiving recess, a reciprocating die'movable to andfrom said stationary die, a frame movable by said reciprocating die, achute adapted to deliver caps by gravity to a position in front of saidstationary die, means operated by the movement of said frame to controlthe dropping of said caps, a gate operably attached to said frame formovement into position to support a cap adjacent said recess forreforming and to then release it, and means to remove said cap fromsaidstationary die.

2. In a bottle cap reshaping machine a die having a bottle cap receivingrecess in one end thereof, a reciprocating diemovable to and fromengagement with a bottle cap in said recess, power driven means toactuate said reciprocating die, a frame movable by said reciprocatingdie, means operated by movement of said frame to deliver caps by gravityto position for reshaping in said recess, a gate to receive and supportsaid caps between said dies, and a crosshead on said frame operativelyconnected with said gate to move said gate from cap supporting positionto release said cap as said reciprocating die is moved into engagementwith said cap.

3. In a machine for reforming bottle caps, a

, stationary die, a recessed seat therein to receive a bottle cap, areciprocating die, power driven means to move said reciprocating dietoward and away from said recess, a frame mounted on said reciprocatingdie and slidable therewith, means to deliver caps by gravity betweensaid dies, a cross head, means on said frame to engage and move saidcross head, and a gate on said cross head movable therewith to and froma cap supporting position below said recess.

4. In a machine for reforming bottle'caps, a stationary die, a recessedseat therein to receive a bottle cap, a reciprocating die, power drivenmeans to move said reciprocating die toward and away from said recess, aframe mounted on said reciprocating die and slidable therewith, means todeliver caps by gravity between said dies, a supporting post, rods onsaid post, a cross head slidably mounted on said rods, means on saidframe to engage and move said cross head, and a gate on said cross headextending below said stationary die into position to support said caps,said gate being movable out of supporting position as said reciprocatingdie is moved into said recess.

5. In a bottle cap reshaping device a stationary die, a housingtherefor, a post on said housing, a reciprocating die, means to movesaid reciprocating die to and from operative engagement with saidstationary die, a frame on said reciprocating die for movementtherewith, said frame including an upper rod slidable in said post and alower rod, a cross head, means on said post to slidably support saidcross head, means on said lower rod to engage and move said cross head,a cap feeding device actuated by said upper rod to deliver caps betweensaid dies, and a gate on said cross head and movable thereby to and awayfrom cap supporting position below said dies.

OTTO A. KOEHLER.

